The invention relates generally to telephone communication systems and, more particularly, to a local house or feeder to a house network architecture using a hybrid optical fiber and twisted pair and/or coaxial cable connected multiplexing device. The invention relates more specifically to a system and method for providing additional services and security for governments, corporations, law firms, and others who employ individuals wishing to conduct business from home.
As deregulation of the telephone industry continues and as companies prepare to enter the local telephone access market, there is a need to offer new and innovative, high bandwidth services that distinguish common carriers from their competitors. This cannot be accomplished without introducing new local access network architectures that will be able to support these new and innovative services.
Conventionally, customer premises telephone and/or data connections contain splitters for separating analog voice calls from other data services such as Ethernet transported over digital subscriber line (DSL) modems. Voice band data and voice signals are sent through a communications switch in a central or local office to an interexchange carrier or Internet service provider. DSL data is sent through a digital subscriber loop asynchronous mode (DSLAM) switch which may include a router. The DSLAM switch connects many lines and routes the digital data to a telephone company""s digital switch.
A major problem with this configuration is that interexchange carriers attempting to penetrate the local telephone company""s territory must lease trunk lines from the local telephone company switch to the interexchange carrier company""s network for digital traffic. Furthermore, the Internet service provider must lease a modem from the local phone company in the DSLAM switch and route its data through the local phone company""s digital switch. Thus, the local phone company leases and/or provides a significant amount of equipment, driving up the cost of entry for any other company trying to provide local telephone services and making it difficult for the interexchange companies to differentiate their services. Furthermore, since DSL modem technology is not standardized, in order to ensure compatibility, the DSL modem provided by the local telephone company must also be provided to the end user in the customer premises equipment (CPE). Additionally, since the network is not completely controlled by the interexchange companies, it is difficult for the interexchange companies to provide data at committed delivery rates. Any performance improvements implemented by the interexchange companies may not be realized by their customers, because the capabilities of the local telephone company equipment may or may not meet their performance needs. Thus, it is difficult for the interexchange companies to convince potential customers to switch to their equipment or to use their services. These factors ensure the continued market presence of the local telephone company.
Another opportunity is for the interexchange carrier to employ wireless means of reaching the local telecommunications service subscriber. In copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/001,363, filed Dec. 31, 1997, entitled xe2x80x9cISD Wireless Networkxe2x80x9d, it was suggested to provide a wireless integrated service director for communicating with wireless subscriber apparatus. Also, from other U.S. Patent applications, for example, in xe2x80x9cCircuit-Switched Switching Systemxe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,370, issued Nov. 2, 1999, it is known to provide satellite or other wireless connections directly to the local subscriber, thus bypassing the local network and the local telephone company.
Yet another opportunity for bypassing the local telephone company is the provision of telecommunications services over known coaxial cable or hybrid optical fiber coaxial cable television transmission systems utilizing cable television spectrum in the downstream (toward the subscriber) and upstream (toward the cable television headend) paths for such services. For example, Times Warner has been experimenting with the provision of telecommunications services to and among cable television service subscribers in various geographic regions of the country with marginal success.
As part of this system, there is a need for improved architectures, services and equipment utilized to distinguish the interexchange companies"" products and services.
Additionally, the previous dependence on local telephone exchanges for communication connectivity is a hinderance to employees who work from home, or xe2x80x9ctelecommuterxe2x80x9d. Typically, an employee""s telephone service is connected via a twisted pair connection, which offers limited bandwidth and places dependence upon the telephone companies. The telephone company xe2x80x9cmiddlemanxe2x80x9d and limited bandwidth significantly reduce the amount of data that can be transmitted to the employee at any one time, and as such, it is impossible for the employee at home to function with the same efficiency as at work. Therefore, there is a need for connectivity between a user (i.e., an employee) and an external server (i.e., an office server) that can provide greater bandwidth for a more seamless connection between home and office. With the greater bandwidth, it would be possible to offer the employee numerous services that would allow the employee to function as if he or she were located at the office.
In order to provide an improved network, it is desirable for the interexchange companies to have access to at least one of the twisted-pair lines, coaxial cable, hybrid fiber facilities with either twisted pair or coaxial cable or alternate wireless facility connecting each of the individual users to the local cable television or toll telephone or hybrid network before the lines are routed through the conventional local telephone network equipment. It is preferable to have access to these lines in a manner such that the interexchange companies can offer customized services such that the companies may differentiate their services. For example, an interexchange company may provide higher bandwidth, improved capabilities of the customer premises equipment, and lowered overall system costs to the customer by providing competitive service alternatives.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the interexchange carrier may obtain access to the coaxial cable feeding subscribers to existing cable television services, for example, at a subscriber tap, in and/or after a fiber/coaxial cable hub or node in a hybrid fiber coaxial cable television distribution plant. Alternatively, the interexchange carrier may ultimately provide services via the optical fiber leaving the cable television headend. The cable television set top terminal may comprise a telecommunications apparatus plain old telephone services, high speed Internet services, video conference services, directory services, multimedia services or other digital services depending on subscriber requirements and capabilities. Alternatively, a separate cable modem connected intelligent terminal may provide these services and capabilities.
A new architecture for providing such services may utilize a video phone and/or other devices to provide new services to an end user; a residence gateway which may be an integrated residence gateway (IRG) disposed near the customer""s premises for multiplexing and coordinating many digital services onto a single twisted-pair line or coaxial cable (or both); a cable facilities management platform (C-FMP) disposed remote from or in the local telephone network""s central office, the subscriber loop or the coaxial cable distribution plant for routing data to an appropriate interexchange company network; and a network server platform (NSP) coupled to the C-FMP for providing new and innovative services to the customer and for distinguishing services provided by the interexchange companies from those services provided by the local telephone network.
Aspects of the invention is the greater array of features available to the employee who wishes to work from home. By using a cable network connection, it is possible for the employee to bypass the local telephone exchange in connecting to the office server, as well as take advantage of the greater bandwidth available on the cable network. Dynamic allocation of the bandwidth on the cable network provides greater flexibility in the range of services offered by the head end, and may allow corporate telecommuters to purchase guaranteed bandwidth to ensure a quality connection even during peak periods of use. The system used to implement and control this available bandwidth also allows for a new and exciting variety of services which will allow the telecommuters to more seamlessly work from home. Such services include individual addressability of pieces of equipment connected to the telecommuters""s home, call and message forwarding to specific pieces of equipment, and automatic billing so that costs incurred while working from home are automatically billed to the employer.
While an exemplary cable architecture is shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed in this application and the other applications herein incorporated by reference. Modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the teachings contained herein. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims cover any such modifications which incorporate the features of these invention or encompass the true spirit and scope of the invention. For example, each of the elements and/or steps of described in the aforementioned embodiments may be utilized alone or in combination with other elements and/or steps from other embodiments.